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BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – Allen Beverages is celebrating a big milestone. The business has been open for 75 years.
“It beat us up a little bit,” said president and general manager Andrew Allen. “I realized a few years ago that we were going to finish our 75th very quickly, so we made plans last year to celebrate it all year long.”
Allen’s grandfather Cleve started the business in 1947. At the age of 12, Allen began his career in disguise. He is now running the company.
“I’ve had really good people,” Allen said. “They were looking out for the future of the company. They made me do things that a teenager wouldn’t want to do, but because I worked for them, it allowed me to show respect for the people who built those positions. I know exactly what the person needs to do and I support them to get to where they want to be.”
Success gives clues. Allen’s father and grandfather taught him the importance of giving back. His grandfather was a founding member of the non-profit Sheep Feed. That philanthropic mentality still exists 75 years later. The company focuses on serving the underprivileged by being highly involved in the society.
“It’s not about having people see you when you’re doing good,” Allen said. “It’s because you’re good at it.”
The locally owned and operated soft drink distributor has grown to over twenty brands including Pepsi, Sunkist, Gatorade, Lipton and Starbucks.
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